Books about Nonbelievers from Amazon.com

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Today's secularists too often have very little accurate knowledge about religion, and even less desire to learn. This is problematic insofar as their sense of self is constructed in opposition to religion Above all, the secularist is not a Jew, is not a Christian, not a Muslim, and so on. But is it intellectually responsible to define one's identity against something that one does not understand? And what happens when these secularists weigh in on contentious political issues, blind to the religious back-story or concerns that inevitably inform these debates? In The Secular Bible: Why Nonbelievers Must Take Religion Seriously Jacques Berlinerblau suggests that atheists and agnostics must take stock of that which they so adamantly oppose. Defiantly maintaining a shallow understanding of religion, he argues, is not a politically prudent strategy in this day and age. But this book is no less critical of many believers, who--Berlinerblau contends--need to emancipate themselves from ways of thinking about their faith that are dangerously simplistic, irrational and outdated. Exploring the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, from the perspective of a specialist, nonbeliever, and critic of the academic religious studies establishment, Berlinerblau begins by offering a provocative answer to the question of "who wrote the Bible?" The very peculiar way in which this text was composed provides a key to understanding its unique power (and vulnerability) in the modern public sphere. In separate chapters, he looks at how the sparse and contradictory words of Scripture are invoked in contemporary disputes about Jewish intermarriage and homosexuality in the Christian world. Finally, he examines ways in which the Qur'an might be subject to the types of secular interpretation advocated throughout this book. Cumulatively, this book is a first attempt to reinvigorate an estimable secular, intellectual tradition, albeit one that is currently experiencing a moment of crisis..
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According to polls, almost all Americans believe in God. So atheists naturally stand out as dissident nay-sayers, especially when challenging the use of "God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, or the display of religious symbols in public places. Such protests make many Americans wonder about the motivations and character of militant unbelievers. But disbelief is spreading. After reviewing the mounting evidence that organized religion is declining in many countries, this accessible book provides the first scientific study of active atheists. The authors surveyed nearly 300 members of atheist organizations in the United States. Besides soliciting these nonbelievers' level of education, political leanings, etc., the researchers sought to understand how each respondent had become an atheist. Had they ever believed in God, or had they never? Had they paid a price for their atheism? Three chapters describe the levels of dogmatism, zealotry, and religious prejudice found among the active atheists. These results, compared with others obtained from more ordinary samples of atheists (and strong fundamentalists), often surprised the authors. Uniquely, the book features a chapter in which the atheists give their reaction to the study and its often-surprising findings. Another chapter breaks down the answers a large Canadian sample gave to the measures used in the American study, according to how religious the respondent was—from atheist to agnostic to four different levels of theistic intensity. A clear finding emerged: the more religious a group was, the more their personalities, prejudices and beliefs separated them from everyone else..
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* Provides an introduction to Christian origins from two very different points of view
* There is increasing interest in Christian origins at the scholarly and also popular level
* Includes contributions from internationally known scholars Scot McKnight and Maurice Casey

The objective of How Did Christianity Begin? is to present two contrasting perspectives on the history of early Christianity. The contrast is evidently sharp as one co-author comes from a conservative Christian background (Michael Bird), while the other co-author (James Crossley) approaches the matter from a secular standpoint. The volume works sequentially through Christian origins and addresses various topics including the historical Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, the Apostle Paul, the Gospels, and the early church. Each author in turn examines these subjects and lays out his historical arguments concerning their origin and meaning.

The volume also includes short responses from two other scholars (Maurice Casey and Scot McKnight) to the arguments of Bird and Crossley so as to give an even handed and broad evaluation of the arguments and debates that unfold. .
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So begins a series of letters addressed to God from an anonymous young artist in this new book from the bestselling author of The Artist's Way. Following in the tradition of Letters to a Young Poet and Conversations with God, this is Julia Cameron's most inspiring book to date.

In the form of letters from the heart, Prayers from a Non-Believer probes questions central to the artist's journey-how can we preserve our creative selves in our busy modern lives? What is the meaning of art and how does it relate to spirituality? This book is a unique treasure from one of the great teachers of our time..
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This is the true story of Rod Retherford, a kid that was told he was too-small to play varsity football in John Day, Oregon, despite the fact that he had been bull-riding in junior rodeo since he was thirteen and had played both as a quarterback and defensive back as a freshman. After his older brother s death in front of him in a freak rodeo accident Rod became emotionally bankrupt, and began using marijuana and booze as a way of coping with his loss. He eventually got his act together thanks to the never ending support of his mother and dad. In the aftermath of an accidental gun shot Rod was left seemingly a quadriplegic and was told that he may not survive let alone physically recover this at the very moment he was awarded a full-ride scholarship to Washington State University. He dropped from school out of depression, but fought his way back in what would be the struggle of a lifetime, rejoined the WSU Cougars, thus defeating the biggest odds he would ever face. Rod then played a season of seasons for Washington State University. He was a key component in the defensive half of a team that made history in the state of Washington and in the PAC 10 conference in the 1981 season. He and his teammates, under the guidance of the entire coaching staff with Jim Walden at the helm, wrote new pages for the chronicles of the Palouse..
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In this very short, but very important work, Ken Scheiâ€"the founder of “Atheists for Jesus” and the author of “Christianity Betrayed,” “An Atheist for Jesus (Vol. I): A Personal Journey of Discovery,” and “An Atheist for Jesus (Vol. II): Rescuing Jesus (and America) from the Religious RightӉ€"condenses his 20 years of research into a simple instruction from Jesus on how to live one’s life. Believers and non-believers alike can find guidance and purpose in this brief summation of Mr. Schei’s work (work that Dr. Carl Sagan called, “Potentially very important.”).

While it is hoped that this work will inspire readers to look into the in-depth research contained in Mr. Schei’s other books, this book can stand on its own as both a guide and a definitive answer to the age-old question of “works vs. faith.”.
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This book is designed to present a clear, distinct course of action the believer can follow to influence an unbelieving or "unspiritual" spouse toward greater faith. Although it is God who ultimately draws us to Him, He uses us for the accomplishment of His purposes here on earth. Just as He works through missionaries who spread His message to the remotest regions of the world, He works through the believing spouse to share His message of true salvation and joy with the unbelieving partner..
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